Locked Up for Profit Google Hangout

Every day, thousands of immigrants are imprisoned in detention centers across the country, not because they are dangerous, but because of a quota set by Congress.

This year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement will spend more than $2 billion in taxpayer money to meet this senseless quota—and thousands of families will be separated for months, or even years, as loved ones wait for their cases to be heard in court.

This inhumane policy is known as the “bed quota.” Not surprisingly, some speculate it’s the result of millions of dollars in lobbying by for-profit prison companies, such as Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group, which contract with the U.S. government to maintain beds in more than 250 detention facilities nationwide.

And it’s one example of how corporations attempt to influence public policy so they can increase their bottom lines rather than prioritize the needs of our communities.

The American Friends Service Committee stands with communities and allies across the country in demanding an end to this policy, and I hope you will, too.

As one of AFSC’s policy impact coordinators in Washington, D.C., I’ll share my experience working on federal policies and advocacy efforts.

You’ll also hear from:

Gabriela Flora, immigrant rights program officer in AFSC’s Denver office, who works with families directly affected by detention and deportation policies.
Matthew Lowen, an AFSC program coordinator in Tucson, Arizona, who will talk about local efforts to stop the growth of private prisons and detention centers in the state.
Denying immigrants their liberty just to meet a quota that benefits for-profit prison companies is immoral—as well as a waste of taxpayer money.